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Two Coliseum officials granted paid leave amid scandal

September 16, 2011 | 8:35
am

Two managers of the scandal-ridden Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum have been allowed to take paid medical and administrative leave amid calls for their dismissal.

The Times reported Friday that Ronald Lederkramer, the No. 2 administrator for the Coliseum's governing commission, was granted medical leave for at least six weeks. The facility's technology manager, Leopold Caudillo Jr., is on paid administrative leave.

Stadium staff and the commission were notified of both leaves in separate emails from Interim General Manager John Sandbrook

A firm founded by Caudillo and a co-worker has been paid about $30,000 by the commission, mostly since last summer, state and Coliseum records show. The co-worker, David Shea, has also gone on medical leave, according to a Coliseum official who requested anonymity because of what the official termed the sensitive nature of the matter.

Commission member Bernard Parks has said that Caudillo and Shea should be ousted because of their connection to the firm HH Tech and that Lederkramer and Sandbrook should be removed because they have failed to effectively address financial abuses at the Coliseum.

On Thursday, Parks, whose council district includes the Coliseum and adjacent Sports Arena, said the leaves were "in the best interests of the operation."

He said he hoped Lederkramer, Caudillo and Shea would not return to their jobs and Sandbrook would depart as soon as the commission comes up with a new management plan. "This gives the Coliseum Commission the ability to do a clean sweep," Parks said.

Photo: Leopold Caudillo Jr., technology manager for the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, left, and Ronald Lederkramer, the No. 2 administrator for the Coliseum's governing commission, are on paid leave, according to an email sent to the stadium staff. Credit: Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times